Dear Dr. Mirkin: Should I be concerned about a low blood iron
level?
Low blood iron levels can be beneficial as long as you
are not anemic. Donating blood lowers blood iron levels and also
helps to prevent heart attacks. Before the bad LDL cholesterol
can form plaques in arteries, it must be converted to oxidized
LDL cholesterol, and iron causes this reaction. Lack of iron
reduces your chances of forming plaques in arteries to cause
heart attacks and strokes.
Routine blood tests measure the size of your red blood
cells. If they are small, your doctor will order a test called ferritin
to measure iron reserves. If your ferritin is low, your doctor will
look for a source of bleeding from menstruation or through the
intestinal tract. If no serious source is found, you need no
treatment unless you are a highly competitive athlete.
Less than 50 percent of the iron in your body is in your
red blood cells. Most is in your iron reserves in your liver, spleen
and other tissues. Your body needs iron to make red blood cells
and if your body does not contain enough iron, you will become
anemic, but you will not become anemic until you have depleted
all your iron reserves. You can be iron deficient but not anemic,
when you have an adequate supply of red blood cells, but no iron
reserves. Iron deficiency does not make you tired unless you are
also anemic, but it can tire athletes exercising at their maximum.
Editor note: Well water can have a lot of iron in it.